


Dumbledore's Socks

by AlbusGellertAlways



Series: Grindeldore Oneshots [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Established Relationship, Good Albus Dumbledore, M/M, Manipulative Grindelwald, Mirror of Erised, Or Is It?, Young Albus Dumbledore, Young Gellert Grindelwald, Young Love, teenage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-24 12:52:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16640471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlbusGellertAlways/pseuds/AlbusGellertAlways
Summary: Why does Dumbledore see himself holding a pair of socks in the Mirror of Erised?  A meeting with Harry triggers a long-buried memory of himself and Grindelwald when they were teenagers.





	Dumbledore's Socks

Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe belongs to JKR.

A/N: Saw an advance screening of FB2 and adored it!  Not to worry, no spoilers here except a very small allusion to something that happened in the movie.   Oh, and Jude Law as Dumbledore broke my heart.  IMO, he nailed the role.  And Johnny Depp was fantastic as Grindelwald, just the right mix of creepy and charismatic.  There are not enough Grindeldore stories so I decided to write one.

Edit:  I just remembered that Gellert and Albus were canonically together in the summer.  So, I guess this would be an AU?  Oh well, I had good intentions.  It had to be winter for it to make sense.

A/N:  The scenes with Harry are canon compliant, but I’ve pulled several scenes and quotes together and remixed them a bit to fit the story. 

.~.

Dumbledore's Socks

.~.

Dumbledore watched as the grey stone gargoyle came to a halt, admitting one of his favorite students into his rather large office.  Young Harry Potter had been in Albus’ charge since his parents’ deaths.  After hearing about Harry’s poor treatment, he regretted leaving him at his muggle aunt and uncle’s home.  However, Harry was protected there by the charm Albus himself had placed on him and sealed by his aunt the moment she took him in.  As long as Harry could call the house on Privet Drive his home, the charm would protect him from Voldemort.  

“Harry!” Dumbledore smiled, standing up from behind his desk to greet his young charge.  “My door is always open to you.  That is if you can remember the password.”  He winked at Harry.

“Professor Dumbledore.”   After nodding at Dumbledore, Harry stared at the vaulted ceilings, the never-ending bookshelves, all the magical knick-knacks that Dumbledore had collected over the many years he’d been Headmaster of Hogwarts.  He also looked at the portraits of the deceased headmasters of the past, most of them snoring in their frames.  “Neat office, sir.”

“Thank you,” said Dumbledore, adjusting his half-moon glasses.   “What can I do for you?”

“Can I ask you a few questions?  It’s about the Mirror of Erised."  Emboldened by the professor’s nod, Harry asked, "What do you see when you look in the mirror?"   
  
"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."   Dumbledore kept his expression blank.  While his answer wasn’t a lie, it wasn’t the complete truth either.

Harry stared quizzically at the headmaster.  “You’re having me on.”  
  
"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore, a tiny frown surfacing on his usually calm face.   He sported a faraway look and his eyes slightly glazed over.

“Professor?  Are you alright?”

But Dumbledore didn’t respond.  Harry guessed that the headmaster was reliving a memory or perhaps he was having a senior moment.  Harry knew that Dumbledore was way past the one-century mark, that he’d been born in the late 1800s.  While Harry considered Dumbledore to be ancient, he never had any trouble relating to Harry.  The eleven-year-old decided to wait until the Headmaster returned to the present before returning to his dormitory, having one more burning question to ask about the mirror.

.~.

 

_92 years ago_

_Albus was desperate.   The relentless snowstorm swirled around him, his breath barely visible in the moonlight.    He managed to reach Bathilda Bagshot’s residence, but the famous author was not the person he sought.  Albus knocked three times, praying that someone would open the door.  He didn’t want to go home, not now.  Albus waited for a bit, growing colder by the second.  He was about to give up before the door swung open to reveal... no one._  
  
_Albus stepped inside and looked around, his teeth chattering.  "G-Gellert? B-Bathilda?  Hello?"_  
  
_A low chuckle came from behind the door.  The concealing charm slowly melted away, leaving behind an extremely attractive young blonde, who smirked at the shivering Albus._  
  
_"Merlin, Gellert, you scared me!" Albus scolded.  "D-don't do that again."_  
  
_"I’m practicing the invisibility spell.  Apparently, it worked!"  Gellert's smirk faded as he noticed Albus' threadbare coat and shaking gloved hands.  He immediately took the boy’s hands in his.  "Albus, you're freezing!  What're you doing here, in a snowstorm without a hat and proper coat?"_

_Gellert shut the door behind Albus, pulling the frigid young wizard towards the fire.   Then Gellert aimed his wand at the fire, which had dwindled to embers.  “Incindio!”_

_“Th-thank you,” Albus barely managed, his teeth still chattering as he stood as close as he could to the fire._

_Gellert looked mildly concerned.  “Albus?  What happened?”_

_"It’s a l-long story,” said Albus.  “I h-had to see you."_  
  
_Gellert beamed, his piercing blue eyes gleaming in the firelight.  "Can't stay away, I see."_  
  
_"Gellert, shh," Albus warned, his cheeks reddening that didn't have anything to do with the cold.  He looked around, not seeing anyone else.  "Is your great aunt here?"_  
  
_"Course not.  I wouldn’t have said that otherwise.”_

_Albus still looked wary._

_“Relax, Albus,” Gellert mollified him.  “She won't be back until tomorrow afternoon.  We're safe now."_

_“Good.”  Albus let himself fall into Gellert's waiting arms.   Albus couldn’t stop shivering, even when Gellert cast several warming charms on him._  
  
_"Did you forget how to warm yourself?” Gellert scolded him.  “Are you a wizard or not?"_  
  
_"Ariana t-took my wand.  H-hid it somewhere.”  Albus’s teeth continued to chatter.   He couldn’t seem to get warm, even being near the fire.   “I searched the house but I couldn't find it.  I couldn't perform the_ accio _spell with another wand because Aberforth is gone for the weekend, tending to the Abbotts' goat farm.  Now I wish I'd kept my mother's wand, but we buried it with her."_

_"Albus, what am I going to do with you?” Gellert tutted.  “Looks like we’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way. Let me draw you a bath."  After helping Albus to the couch, Gellert sprang into action.  With just a wave of his wand, the furniture in the room lept apart to leave room in the center of the living room._

_"Accio basin!"  Gellert called the old-fashioned washtub in from the spare room.  He magically filled it with buckets from the sink.  "I wish we had a modern bath,” Gellert lamented as the buckets refilled themselves.  “The old bat never bothered to update her plumbing.  I suppose I could've installed one, but, let’s face it, I have more important things to do, like gathering followers for our revolution."_

_“Your aunt isn’t so bad.”_

_“I don’t mind her when she’s not here.”  Gellert grinned at Albus.  “I’d much rather be with you.”_

_“Yeah?” Albus ducked his head, lest Gellert tease him for blushing.  “Me too.”_  
  
_Gellert called off the buckets, which had finished filling the tub almost to the brim.  Then he magically heated the water.  "Get in, Albus,” he ordered after testing the temperature.  “It's plenty warm."_  
  
_Albus obeyed, standing up moving toward the basin but his hands were still shaking.  He tried to remove his coat, but he couldn’t manage the buttons._  
  
_"Let me."  Gellert stilled Albus' hands and slowly removed the eldest Dumbledore's coat before moving on to the rest of his clothing.   “Good thing I’m so practiced at removing your clothes.”_  
  
_“Good thing.”  Albus gave him a grateful look before sinking into the tub._  
  
_"Better?"_  
  
_"Ah," Albus sighed as he stretched out his legs.  "Yes, much.  The temperature is perfect."_  
  
_Gellert smiled and hastily removed his shirt.  "Good.  I'll join you."_  
  
_Albus frowned.  "Not tonight, Gellert.  I'm exhausted.  You understand, right?"_  
  
_A shadow crossed Gellert's normally serene features before he finally nodded.  "Of course."  Gellert pulled his shirt back on.  “You know, not many people would refuse me.”_  
  
_"Tomorrow, I promise I'll make it up to you," said Albus.  "I'll even let you... you know."_  
  
_Gellert smirked.  "I knew you secretly like it when I dominate you.  Finally admitted it to yourself, have you?"_  
  
_Albus rolled his eyes.  "Is that really all you can think about?”_

_Gellert gave him a blinding, slow smirk.  “I also think about how much I want wizards dominating over the muggles.”_

_Then Albus winced as he tried to wiggle his toes, but his feet didn’t want to cooperate. “I need your help, Gellert.  There's something wrong with my feet.  I think they're frostbitten."_  
  
_Gellert gave him an exasperated look.  "You forgot to put your socks on when you were wearing boots, didn't you?  You’re renowned for your brilliance but you can’t seem to remember that one little detail.  Sometimes you're completely hopeless, Albus."_  
  
_Albus ignored the insult’s tiny sting, even though he was used to it by now.  "I didn't think I'd be outside that long.  It took me a lot longer than I thought to find Ariana."_  
  
_Gellert shook his head in disbelief.  "Did you at least use the tracking spell?"_  
  
_Albus nodded.  "I’d enchanted her scarf.  She normally never takes it off but for some reason today she left it behind in the house.  The tracking spell was useless."  Albus shook his head in disgust.  “I’m a terrible brother to her.  Some days I don’t want to be around her.  She deserves better.”_

 _“Now, now, no more talk like that,” Gellert rebuked him as he pulled Albus’ feet up out of the water.   "Don't worry, darling, I'll take care of you."  Gellert smiled as he touched the soles of Albus's throbbing feet.  His eyes glowed gold as his healing magic surrounded Albus's frostbitten appendages.  "There, now.  Is that better?"_  
  
_Albus tried experimentally wiggling his toes.  "Yes, thank you.  Your wandless magic is amazing."  He gave Gellert a sweet smile, staring deeply into his eyes._  
  
_"I believe you're besotted with me, Albus," Gellert teased.  “Looks like the love spell is working."_  
  
_"Very funny," Albus shook his head.  He stood up and grabbed the towel that Gellert had provided to dry off.  "Can I borrow some of your clothes?"_  
  
_“Of course.”  Gellert nodded.  "Watch this."  He stretched out his hand and called several pieces of clothing to him, which had appeared from the direction of the stairs._  
  
_"Impressive," Albus dryly admitted as he stepped out of the basin.  He pulled on the underwear first, then the matching pajama top and bottom.  They fit him perfectly, as he and Gellert were the same height, with similar builds.  He took a seat on the couch as Gellert cleaned up the basin, dumped the water, and rearranged the furniture._  
  
_"My feet still hurt."  Albus knew he sounded pathetic, but he wanted more of Gellert's care._  
  
_"You're such a child," Gellert grumbled, but he sat down next to Albus on the couch and began to massage his aching feet.  Albus winced as Gellert touched his big toe, but after a few minutes of rubbing, the feeling came back into his toes.  Gellert's ministrations had worked._  
  
_"I feel much better,” said Albus, wiggling his toes to prove that he could.  “Thanks.”_

_They sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts._

_“_ _Things can’t go on like this, Albus,” said Gellert, looking concerned.  “You look like you took on a Hippogriff and lost.  You’re losing weight and you’re too pale.  It’s not healthy what you’re doing."_  
  
_"I have no choice," Albus informed his lover, sounding drained and much older than his eighteen years.  "She has no one else to care for her other than my brother but he’s still in school.  You’re right, however.  Ariana is becoming too much for me to handle.  She's an obscurial, Gellert.  I'm certain of it - she has all the symptoms.  I don't know what to do!  If I got St. Mungo's involved, she'd never see the light of day again."_  
  
_"We've talked about this, Albus," said Gellert, gently caressing his right cheek.  "We both know she's holding you back."_  
  
_Albus sighed, leaning into the touch.  “Perhaps, but it’s not her fault.”_  
  
_"Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind."_  
  
_Albus blanched, pulling away from Gellert's touch.  "I'm not killing her."_  
  
_"Albus, she's miserable.  You're miserable," Gellert's voice was soothing, seductive.  "She doesn't recognize you half the time and when she gets outside, she's a threat to the International Statute of Secrecy.  All you'd have to do is put her to sleep, an eternal sleep.  It would be quick and painless.  She's holding you back, holding us back.  What about all the plans we've made?  It's for the greater-"_  
  
_"_ Don't _use my own words against me," Albus snapped, cutting him off.  "That doesn't apply to this situation. I can't just kill my sister, even though some days I want to."_  
  
_"Alright." Gellert held up his hands in surrender._

_“Do not bring it up again.  Promise me,” Albus warned._

_“I won’t.  I promise,” Gellert, vowed.  “I didn’t mean to upset you.  I just want the best for you, that’s all.”_

_“I know,” said Albus, all the fight in him melting away.  He stared fondly at Gellert._

_"You still should’ve cast the warming spell,” Gellert castigated him.   “What would you’ve done if I hadn’t answered the door?"_  
  
_"I can't do wandless magic, Gellert.  You know this.”  Albus hung his head in shame.  “I’ve tried.”_  
  
_Gellert shook his head.  "No excuses, Albus.  We must practice more."_  
  
_"Gellert, very few wizards or witches can summon magic without a wand.  You're one of the few exceptions.  I know you believe in me, but-"_  
  
_"Didn't you win every single award Hogwarts offered?  Were you not lauded by the Wizarding Book of Records for your efforts in transfiguration and in enhancing Hogwarts’ security?  Only an extremely powerful wizard could manage that."_  
  
_"Flatterer," Albus muttered, but he felt pleased._  
  
_"You secretly love it."  Gellert plowed on.  "Not just anyone could win the tournament between Hogwarts and Durmstrang at fifteen.  If you hadn't made such an impression, I wouldn't have sought you out here."_  
  
_Albus raised an eyebrow.  "I thought the grave of Ignotus Peverell and the lure of the Deathly Hallows drew you to Godric's Hollow."_  
  
_Grindelwald smirked.  "I guess you'll never know.  Does it matter?"_  
  
Yes, _Albus thought but he didn't voice it._  
  
_"I know you're talented enough to master wandless magic.  I'm certain I can teach you how.  We'll practice again next Friday," Gellert declared, dictating Albus' schedule as he often did._  
  
_Albus didn't have the heart to deny him.  He would do practically anything for his lover.  No one understood him as well as Gellert did.  Albus could overlook certain quirks and oddities of Gellert's personality.  They held a few different beliefs - the treatment of muggles among other things - but they could always come to a compromise.  That's how relationships worked, right?_  
  
_Albus had never been in a relationship before, as dalliances between boys were forbidden at Hogwarts, not to mention the wizarding world forbid same-sex relationships.  He hadn't wanted to risk his pristine reputation for a night or two of pleasure.  Head Boy at Hogwarts, personal aide to Headmaster Black, courted by the Ministry to become an Auror - the honors and accolades were endless.  It was possible that someday he might even be considered for Minister of Magic._  
  
_But after he met Gellert, Albus thought their relationship was worth the risk of possibly harming his reputation.  If their revolution gained favor with the pureblood families as planned, Gellert and Albus would change the law, allowing for same-sex purebloods to marry.  At least that’s what Gellert said.  Albus wasn’t sure that they could convince wizard-kind to make that drastic of a change, but perhaps it could be done._  
  
_But for now, they played it safe, played the best friends and brothers card.  They pushed their true feelings deep down until they could be alone.  It was lucky for them that Gellert's great-aunt traveled a lot, gathering information for her best-selling books.  Bathilda Bagshot's house played host to their secret love nest._  
  
_Albus blushed, thinking of all that he and Gellert had gotten up to.  There had been many firsts for Albus.  He doubted they were firsts for Gellert.  Albus really didn't want to know how much experience the ever-confident Gellert had.  That confidence was one of the things that had attracted Albus, along with his intellect and fierce beauty._  
  
_Gellert obviously knew what he was doing in bed, so Albus knew he'd had some previous experience.  When the subject did come up, Gellert assured Albus that he was the only one who truly mattered.  Albus desperately wanted to believe that._  
  
_Once, Albus asked why Gellert was expelled from Durmstrang.  He asked if the rumors were correct, if Gellert had managed to create a_ horcrux _.  Gellert laughed outright and told Albus not to believe everything he heard.  When pushed further, Gellert claimed that his expulsion had to do with his search for the Hallows but didn't provide any more details.  Albus could understand that, being a very private person himself.  It had taken a while before he confessed his family's terrible secret to Gellert, but his lover had taken it in stride.  While he didn't appreciate Gellert's suggestion to kill his sister, Albus knew Gellert wasn't serious about it._  
  
_"I don't want to talk about this now," said Albus.  "My feet are still cold.  Perhaps you have some slippers?"_  
  
_"I have just the thing."  Gellert chuckled, pointing his wand at the stairs.  "Accio socks!"_  
  
_Albus wrinkled his nose as Gellert tossed him a pair of woolly socks.  An embroidered scripted G was featured at the top.  He held them up in front of the fire for closer inspection.  "Green?  Really?"_  
  
_"Aunt Bathilda knitted these for me," said Gellert, bespelling the socks to be crimson and gold. "Said she didn't like me walking around the house barefoot in the winter."_  
  
_Albus rolled his eyes.  "They look ridiculous," the young wizard declared before pulling them on anyway.  "Mmm, they're self-warming," Albus sighed.  “I take it back.”_  
  
_"I charmed them myself," Gellert bragged, reaching over to take Albus' right hand in his.  "You're welcome."_  
  
_"Thank you, Gellert."  Albus interlaced their fingers, contemplating how he'd never felt a bond so strong with anyone.   He hoped that, even though they would be tested, their bond would remain unbreakable._  
  
_"What are you thinking about?"  Gellert asked.  “You’ve got that frown on your face.”_  
  
_Albus pulled his hand away.  "It was something stupid, nothing important," he said hastily.  "Can I spend the night here, with you?"_  
  
_"I’d like that,” Gellert said softly.  Then he reached to tickle Albus’ sock-covered feet, making Albus produce a high-pitched giggle._

_“Stop!”  Albus pulled his feet out of Gellert’s reach, still giggling.   “I love that I can laugh with you.”_

_Gellert chuckled.  “You know, my socks look good on you.  I like seeing you wearing my initial.  It shows who you belong to."_  
  
_Albus blushed as Gellert climbed up next to him on the couch.  "Do you belong to me too?"_  
  
_"More than you know," Gellert whispered, pulling a dark green blanket over them.  "Goodnight, Albus."_  
  
_"Goodnight, Gellert.  I love you."_  
  
_"Go to sleep, now," said Gellert, his fingers reassuringly tangling in Albus's hair, soothing him to sleep._  
  
_.~._

“Professor, are you alright?”

Dumbledore jumped, pulled out of his reverie.   He focused on Harry, who was looking at him with concern.  “Not to worry, Harry.  I’m fine.  What was it you wanted to ask me?”

“Can I see the mirror again?  Just once more,” Harry pleaded.  “I want to see my parents.”

“I’m afraid not, Harry,” Dumbledore said gently.  “Great and powerful men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad.  I won’t let that be your fate.” 

“Professor, did that happen to you?”  Harry curiously asked.

Dumbledore cursed the boy’s perception.  The wizened wizard turned away, not wanting Harry to see the sorrow that resided there.  “I may have visited the mirror more than I should’ve.  Around the end of what muggles know as World War Two in 1945, I desperately needed hope.  We all did.  The Wizarding World was starkly divided – be glad you weren’t alive then.  I had to face my worst fear in order to keep our world safe and free.”

Harry’s eyes widened.  “I remember, on your chocolate frog, it said that you defeated-”

“Yes,” Dumbledore sharply interrupted.  “Well, you’d best be off to bed.”

Harry nodded, his expression dejected.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to pry, Professor.”

“It’s quite all right,” said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling once more.  “But in regards to the mirror, Harry, remember this – it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”   Dumbledore patted the boy’s head and watched as Harry ran off, probably to join the Weasley boy or the Granger girl.   

One Harry had gone, Dumbledore called the Pensive to open.  The elderly wizard approached the large basin, filled with opaque silver water.  The Pensive contained some of his memories that he didn’t want bouncing around in his head.    Dumbledore used his wand to pull out a silver strand from his head and dropped it into the Pensive.  Perhaps it was best that it was gone from his mind.  

But if Dumbledore was truly honest with himself, he knew that the temptation was too great and that he’d fall into the Pensive sometime in the next couple days to relive that particular memory.  The Mirror of Erised may be hidden, but at least he had that means to visit his old memories of Gellert when the pressures of his demanding life became too much. 

Even after all this time, even after his betrayal, Albus still loved Gellert.  Always.

.~.

The End

.~.

 

A/N:  What did you think?  There’s not a ton to go one with these characters when they were young so I extrapolated a bit.  I hope I made Albus and Gellert as in character as possible, and that I got all of the Harry Potter facts correct.  If you have any suggestions on how I can improve this, let me know.  I think I might do a sequel if I get enough interest.  Comments and kudos are appreciated.   


End file.
